How to Start the Print Spooler in Windows 7

While there are a lot of different issues that can come up when you try to print a document from your computer, one that you might often take for granted is the communication between your computer and your printer. Much of this interaction is handled by a service called the Print Spooler.

But if you have seen an error message that the print spooler isn’t working, or Windows is telling you that you don’t have any printers installed when you know that you do, then it is possible that the print spooler is stopped. This can happen for a number of different reasons, but the problem is often resolved by finding the print spooler and restarting it. Our guide below will show you how to start a print spooler in Windows 7.

How to Start or Restart the Print Spooler in Windows 7

The steps below are going to show you where to find the Print Spooler service on your Windows 7 computer. The method described below is quickest way to get to this menu. However, you can also start the Print Spooler by going to Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Services if you would prefer to navigate that way.

Step 1: Click the Start button at the bottom-left corner of the screen.

Step 2: Type services.msc into the search field at the bottom of the menu, then press Enter on your keyboard.

Step 3: Scroll down the list (it is sorted alphabetically) until you find the Print Spooler option.

Step 4: Right-click on the Print Spooler option, then select the Start option. After a few seconds the Print Spooler should be running.